I Will Have No Other

As many of you know, I'm headed out of town for a few days, and I don't know how often I'll be able to post, but I'd like to be able to share this with you all before I leave.

Awhile back ago I was meditating on the attributes of God and was struck by the vastly different facets of his character.


The Rock of my Salvation spoke the mountains into place and carved the vast depths of the ocean with a word.

The Ancient of Days has written the number of my days and knows when I lie down and when I rise up.

The Holy Judge of the nations has declared me perfect, clothed in the righteousness of His one only son.

The Great Shepherd leads me beside still waters, and even in the valley of death I will fear no evil.

He is the heir of all things, yet He is the one that grants the air I breath.

He is the Firstborn of all creation, yet He fashioned me in my mother's womb.

He is the radiance of the glory of God, yet He is the light to my path and a lamp unto my feet

He is the creator of our solar system and beyond, yet He holds a sparrow in his hand and clothes the lilies of the field.

He has created the angels and all of heaven, yet He has revealed things to me into which they long to look.

HE, the perfect high priest of all humanity, sacrificed himself as
a spotless lamb

The Author of History is writing my story with love and care.

The Sovereign of the Cosmos who has named each of the stars, knows the number of hairs on my head.

He is my God, He is my life.
I will have no other.

Wise Words

Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.       ~ C.S Lewis

All the Magic of the World

I could be a painter by the sea, a Poet drinking tea
I'll be a dancer on one knee or a designer for a fee

I'll be a wandering traveler, just to be able to wonder and to see,
All the magic of the world
Of England, Paris and Vienna,
                                                         Maybe I'll learn Chinese

A Reposted Post

A dear friend of mine posted on this on her blog, and it was just too splendid not to share. 

A city on a hilltop stood,
with gleaming walls all round;
and all within were fair and good-
but none remembered there, who should,
that sickness lurked within the wood
that did their walls surround.

Ah, foolish women, foolish men
that gave away their lives!
The gates thrown wide, they let it in.
It came, it saw, it conquered then;
no plague like this had ever been.
They would not long survive.

 
O'er ruined streets, 'neath crumbling gates,
a stranger came alone.
The cure he knew, and would not wait
a house of healing to create,
to save them from this deadly fate-
return them to their own.

To those he healed he gave to stay
and labor in his stead.
He taught until they knew the way,
then took himself and went away,
but promised to return one day-
when life was made widespread.

Full zealously they started out,
to call the dying in.
With heartfelt pleas, with hopeful shouts,
they all the city went throughout
and left no room for any doubt
that life was offered them.

Many sick came to their door,
and none was turned away.
Some would not drink, and still abhorred 
the life that could have been restored-
ah, ignorance! that brays for war
when peace is on its way.

Yet others came, gave up the fight,
and drank the healing draught.
Not one was lost, all faults despite-
their strength restored, regained their sight;
they longed to spread this great delight-
and learned the doctor’s craft.

But slowly, something strange occurred:
the doctors lost their zeal;
and, safe amongst themselves conferred,
to fill the air with empty words.
The anguished cries outside, unheard-
men died alone, unhealed.

The healers learned to be afraid-
though naught deserved their fear.
Their dread of failure: shadow-made;
of re-infection: fancy-played.
From windows turned their eyes away-
they held their lives so dear.

The patients’ beds stood often bare,
so few were brought inside.
But one gray eve, a young man dared
approach the steep, unwelcome stair;
collapsed outside and begged for care-
“Please, help me live!” he cried.

The doctors stopped and stared, appalled-
this mound of filth, alive?
His bleeding flesh with maggots crawled;
a sight like this none could recall-
so long they’d hid behind their walls-
could their skills, unused, revive?

Said one, “I can’t recall the name
that used to set them free,”
while some knew how, but still refrained-
afraid, repulsed, embarrassed, drained-
but most just looked away in shame,
pretending not to see.

And so it was, ‘neath walls of white
that housed life’s very breath-
the ones who knew the way of light
refused to venture out one night,
and, silent, watched man’s futile fight
engulfed instead by death.

Oh, shame! to those who, washed in blood,
can never die again;
yet fear this world’s transparent flood-
a shackled prince the source thereof-
and blush to speak the name of Love:
of death the only end.

For more witty, heartfelt felt things that I cannot put into words, travel to her blog Free Indeed and be amazed. 

Smells of Summer

Finally it's here.
Summer.

At least the weather, if not the freedom from school...

The sun is shining and the temperature is in the positive digits

Lawns are being mowed, citrus smelling lotions and perfumes are now permissable. I caught my first wiff of sunscreen........ bliss

 Bring It On.

One of my absolute most favorite moments is one that I usually don't get to experience till much later in the year, but today, with arrival of 90 degree weather, it happened.

After a long day at work, I got into my boiling vehicle and started home.

By the time I got to Maple St, I had sweat nearly trickling down my neck.

Attractive, I know.
Did I mind? Not in the least.
I knew what was coming.

I made it home, and opened the front door and that delightful rush of cool air that only air conditioning can bring, wrapped itself around me.

I breathed it all in and had a little happy sigh all to myself. Delicious.
Totally worth it.

Friday Night Delights

However delightful the taste,
when the highlight of your Friday night is licking off the top of a cupcake, it's probably time to reevaluate your priorities.




And don't worry, I will..... Right after I organize my sock drawer... and cup o' pens

.... I can't have all those flighty pencils hangin around with my pens, just lookin for a good time! One second they're writing fine, then they flip around and everything starts to disappear!

Omynerdness.

In Common

The brakes in my car and I both have something in common.... We both sing often while driving.

Practice Makes Perfect?

 I'm just beginning to realize how much practice is involved in being a musician.

There are times I play the same 12 notes over and over for an hour and it still doesnt sound *exactly like how I want it to.

But that magic that happens when it does? Suddenly, the results of the work are evident and forgotten are the hurting fingers, the times of frustration. Just bliss. Pure bliss.

Melody working hand in hand with harmony, all under the structure of rhythm and tempo.  Few things are better.

As I type this post, I'm beginning to wonder.
Do I put this  same amount of effort in other areas of my life? Do I pursue godliness with the same determination and excitement that I have in say, learning those twelve notes?
Daily? truthfully? no.

But what if I did? How much more magnificent would the bliss be gained  from dwelling in His presence and meditating on His gospel work.
From intentionally setting aside time to pray throughout the day.
From practicing those good works set before me.

For me, it's a good mirror on my heart, and I urge you to look at your own life.
What is your passion? Your drive? What do you do in your free time? What do you daydream about?
How often do practice or work at a specific task or hobby and how can you use it to glorify God?
How can you use it become closer to Him?

In this world we will never be perfect, but sanctification is something we must strive for.
Meditate on the gospel daily, hourly, and never underestimate it's power.


 "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.            
                                       Romans 8:1 -6 

Practice, and I think you will be surprised at the results.

 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. "
                                                                                                                           1 Corinthians 9:24-27

"You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."
                                                         Psalm 16:11

The Secret of YouTube

I have come to the realization that in order to become famous on You Tube, you either have to be atrociously awful, or fantastically talented.

ahem... I'm thinking of a certain day of the week... and a color.
I think you know.


There is no middle ground.

This, however, is mostly original and completely amazing

Umbrella Romanticism

Umbrellas are awesome. They have a certain melancholic charm that's irresistible.

I found these pictures on google images whilst looking for a pciture for something else.

I was going to try and incorporate them in to a witty blog post, but since one is not coming to mind and I want to share them with you, I'm just posting them.

I don't know what else to say other, than that I love them.

 

Streetlights.

 It is a well known fact that if you exist in a movie (and sometimes in real life) when you walk under a flickering street light, you will probably get stabbed in the throat.

Happy thought, I know. But one time it actually happened to me.

Well, only the first part.....

I didn't get stabbed.

His pleasure

"I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure."
- Eric Liddell
Olympian and missionary for Christ.


I echo that thought, but in a different way.
I will never be a runner.

However, I do believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me a musician. And when I make that music, I feel His pleasure.

Omaha fun?

Seriously.
Facebook. What is wrong you and your ads?
Either that, or someone hates Omaha and is trying to blackmail us by creating these pieces of ridiculousnesses.

first there was this.

But now this?

I personally would try to die before something like that happened to my hands.

Claws much?

A Post.

photo by Benjamen Chinn

I begin a lot of my posts by apologizing..... sorry about that.

oh snap.

Now I've turned into that person, apologizing for apologizing.





May you grant your forgiveness and we can put this all behind us, like it never happened.
okgood.
now on to other things.

The reason I was apolo-- I mean expressing remorse, was for my lack of posting. It has been quite some time since anything of note has popped into my brain, (thus, no posts) and I am completely convinced that I suffer from:

Seasonal Affective Disorder
*gasp!


Can it be true?
Indeed, I am living proof that it does exist.
This last month or 100 years, ( I can't remember which) of grey and rainy weather has taken its toll. Seriously.
It is so hard to function when all you want to do is curl up like a cat and take a nap till the sun comes out.
Have no fear though, I am determined to conquer it.


As soon as I'm done with this last nap.

Awesome.

I've had another lapse of bloggerly laziness..... here's an awesome pic to keep you entertained till tomorrow, when my motivation will (perhaps?) return.

Tax Day

Did you get you taxes done? I would imagine so... you probably got them done weeks ago.

Well I was...... I mean my superhero mom, was doing mine for me (while I watched) all weekend up until this afternoon. For whatever reason, they happened to be GINORMOUSLY confusing and just a pain in the foot.

Even though I just happened to be looking over her shoulder, this is how I felt:

Long story short, instead of owing over $500, I'll actually be getting enough back to buy a coffee or three for my mother, who is the bees knees.

And just for the record, if United States Department of Revenue truly has accuracy as their goal, they should rename the 1040EZ form to 1040EZ.jk

Lazy Post

This is quite adorable an d bears sharing, so here you go:
(I just copied the article from www.guardian.co.uk, but for the actual link go here)


   'When you are blind, you imagine how people look. Not by touching their face or gauging their  height, but by their voice, and the kind of person they are. That's what helps you form a picture. I  realize now I can see that those pictures aren't  always accurate. But when I first saw my wife,  Gurjeet, 10 years after we'd met, she was exactly  as I'd imagined.

 I lost my sight at school, Christmas 1972 – I was  10 and larking about when I fell in some nettles  and came up in a terrible rash. The doctor gave mum some tablets to clear it up but I had an awful reaction to them – what's called Stevens Johnson syndrome – and for a few weeks it was touch and go if I'd survive.
One of the effects of the SJS was my tear ducts stopped working; without tears, your corneas can't work. They tried all sorts to fix the problem. Every two weeks when we went to hospital I'd buy comics – the Beano, Dandy, the Beezer – thinking I'd be able to read them on the way home, but I never could. My sight just kept getting worse, and by the time I was 14 it had gone.
I went to a special school in Birmingham, where you had to board Monday to Friday. I knew my mum and dad found it hard to leave me there, but they knew it was the best thing for me. The turning point was going to college in Hereford to study IT – the Royal National College for the Blind, where I am now a governor. I didn't learn only academic and vocational stuff, but how to be independent: cooking, cleaning, doing sports, going out and about.
I used to ring my parents every day and tell them how I was doing. They were proud and, if I'm honest, surprised, too. A lot of people are surprised. They imagine that when you're blind you "manage" rather than "achieve", and that I must feel those years of being blind were wasted somehow. That's simply not true. It was an amazing period of my life.
The best thing was meeting Gurjeet. It was an arranged marriage. I didn't think anyone would want to marry me, but she said she did. She said it felt right. I sensed she was lovely and couldn't believe my luck. Even on my wedding day my brother-in-law and I wondered if she'd turn up. But there she was, waiting for me. We have been shoulder to shoulder since.
After I married I started a business building computers. I could do all the programming myself through a Braille terminal but I remember the first one I built. Gurjeet and I worked through the night – she was my eyes while I was building it, orientating me around the circuit board. Then she'd drive me around the country so I could deliver the computers to clients, with our two daughters in the back. I bought a shop and it went from strength to strength. At our height we were one of the largest suppliers in the UK and turning over millions.
Being blind was just part of our married life. We didn't talk about it, we just lived with it. I never thought it would be any different. Then one day – when we'd been married about 10 years – an optician I knew came rushing into our office saying he'd read about a new technique he was sure could help me. Two weeks later I was at an eye hospital in Brighton and booked in for this new experimental operation. When they took off the bandages and cleaned up my eyes, it was like having Windolene cleaned off a window. I saw the doctor's tie, then his huge smile, and then everything was crystal clear. When Gurjeet and the girls walked into the room, they were just as I had pictured in my mind. So familiar. I will never forget that moment. "I can see you," I said to them. "I can see for miles."
The world seemed so bright – that's what struck me most. The colours of the 70s – the dark red curtains, brown lino, drab shopfronts and black Morris Minors and Austin 1100s that I had remembered from my childhood – were replaced by this array of bright shades. We all walked down to the seafront in Brighton. It was a beautiful day, and I was walking in front, holding the girls' hands, showing off a bit. I couldn't stop staring at everything. There was so much to take in. It was wonderful. I still have to pinch myself when I think about it today.

• As told to Jenny Hulme.

Top things to say if:

caught sleeping at your desk.

1.“They told me at the blood bank this might happen.”
2. “This is just a 15 minute power-nap like they raved about in the last time management course you sent me to.”
3. “I wasn’t sleeping! I was meditating on the mission statement and envisioning a new paradigm!”
4. “This is one of the seven habits of highly effective people!”
5. “I was testing the keyboard for drool resistance”
6. “Actually I’m doing a “Stress Level Elimination Exercise Plan” (SLEEP) I learned it at the last mandatory seminar you made me attend.
7. “I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work related stress.”
8. “Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem!”
9. “I wasn’t sleeping, I was trying to pick up contact lens without hands.”
10. “Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?”
11. “This is in exchange for the six hours last night when I dreamed about work!”



I feel like this right now

minus the whole Asian, old man part....

Spoiled Rotten

People who like cottage cheese are willing to eat (basically) rotten milk.
But only to a certain extent......

No one wants to eat cottage cheese that has "gone bad." Where do you draw the line, I ask?

Nobel Prize Winner

Whoever invented the vacuum cleaner deserves a Nobel peace prize for giving a bit more sanity to mothers around the world and thereby making the world a more peaceful place.